Once every drop of sun
by TheCrazyMarshmellow
Summary: Every century, on a tropical island, a tiger appears at the paws of the tribe of falling sun. When the current leader, SunFrost discovers the Sunblossom, it is detirmined that yet another tiger will lead this tribe to greatness. The next tiger destined to lead the tribe is Midnight, an orphaned baby tiger. But she is destined to be the greatest leader of all time. R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

Once, every drop of sun… A beast of golden flame and jet-black shadow shall arrive to guide the way to the true light…

The Tribe of Falling Sun

Leader: SunFrost (WhiteFrost)- White she-cat with blue eyes

Second-in-charge: FlashClaw (FreshClaw)- Golden tom with sharp claws and green eyes

Healer: PureFlower (AuraFlower)- Silver she-cat with green eyes

Learner: SpiritMist (TinyMist) - Black she-cat with violet eyes

Fighters:

SparkFire (FreshFire)- Orange tom with amber eyes

Slashpuddle (FreshPuddle)- Misty grey she-cat with blue eyes

Learner: FreshLight

FallingHail (FreshHail) - White tom with blue eyes

Learner: FreshFlight

RiseCloud (FreshCloud)- White she-cat with yellow eyes

RollingBoulder (FreshBoulder) - Grey tom with tangled fur and black eyes

Learner: FreshSplash

PetalFloat (FreshFloat) - Golden she-cat with silver eyes

Learner: FreshDrift

WhisperFawn (FreshFawn)- Velvety brown she-cat with large, almond-shaped, brown eyes

StarSoar (FreshSoar)- Black tom with yellow eyes

Learners:

FreshLight (TinyLight)- white she-cat with yellow eyes

FreshFlight (TinyFlight)- Brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

FreshSplash (TinySplash)- Blue-grey tom with green eyes

FreshDrift (TinyDrift)- Silver tom with blue eyes

Nurses

NurseRose (ShineRose)- Golden She-cat with reddish eyes

NurseReed (GlideReed) - Brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

NurseMoon (CloudedMoon) - Pale grey she-cat with silver paws and tail-tip, expecting

Nurslings

TinyRay- Golden she-kit with blue eyes, one moon, NurseRose's

TinySprout- Tabby tom-kit with green eyes, one moon, NurseRose's

TinyBubble- Silver tom-kit with blue eyes, two moons, NurseReed's

Midnight awoke to beams of pale green sunlight streaming down through the rainforest canopy. She cuddled up to her once-warm mother, digging her nose into her black and orange striped fur.

The hunters had shot and lost sight of the female tiger and had left muttering. Midnight had barely escaped, but her mother had not been as lucky. Now Midnight was stranded on a rainforest island all alone.

A twig cracked, and Midnight whipped around, snarling. She came face-to-face with a small, brown tabby, about her age, with large green eyes. "Wow…" The tabby mewed in a strange accented voice. "A baby tiger… FallingHail! It's a baby tiger! Come quick!"

No sooner than the tabby spoke then a white tom bounded out of the underbrush. He was quite a bit bigger than Midnight, and she shrank down to the forest floor, afraid.

"We've got to get it back to camp." The white cat mewed gruffly. "If it stays out here without its mother, it will surely die." He strode forward and, grabbing the tiger cub's scruff in his jaws, bounded in the direction of home.

The small cat followed behind, matching her stride with the white cat's. Midnight hissed as she swung from side to side, her eyes wide with fear. Where was this strange beast taking her?

Soon they reached a large tree, and the white cat called FallingHail started to scramble up, still holding Midnight tightly. The tiger closed her eyes to ease the nausea that dizzied her mind.

When she opened them, she gaped in awe. Before her were cats of all sizes and colors. They lived in the branches. All of them. Nests of moss and feathers were tucked into slits in the branches, and in a bigger patch of moss lay all different sorts of prey. Birds, tree frogs, lemurs, small monkeys, and eggs, all carefully arranged so that nothing would be ruined.

Midnight watched a black tom gently pick up a creamy, speckled egg in his teeth, so as not to crack it and spill the precious yolk, and carry it towards a golden she-cat. _These cats use the giving ritual!_ She thought, as the two shared the egg.

The white tom began to carry her to a wide hole in the trunk of the tree. She squirmed and kicked, but alas, she could not get free. Inside the cave it was not as dark as Midnight thought it would be, but shades of all different colors. Faded blue, rosy pink, pale green, and sunny yellow.

Inside the hole sat a white she-cat, her back turned away from the entrance. "Come in." She mewed, as the tom hit the wooden wall lightly with his paw. "SunFrost," He began, and the she-cat turned around. Her eyes widened and she gasped.

"We have not had a baby tiger since the last drop of sun!" She cried, rushing over to Midnight. "The last one was four hundred seasons ago! The great StripeFlame, I believe. What's this one's name? Oh, she's so cute!"

"We don't know what her name is. She won't speak."

"Here, let me have a go." SunFrost walked cautiously up to Midnight. "What's your name, young one?" She asked in a soft voice. Midnight looked up, trying to find her voice.

"I'm M-midnight." She mewled. SunFrost looked delighted. "TinyNight it is then!" She said decisively. Midnight's fur bristled. "No! I'm Midnight and-and…. Well, I suppose… Okay." The tiger cub's fur lay flat, and she closed her eyes, exhausted.

FallingHail carried her to a mossy nest lined with scraps of fur and set her down in the soft, green folds. The softness closed around TinyNight and she fell into a pleasant sleep.

**Okay, no flames please, this is my first tribe story, i was inspired by the author of Warriors of Ocean. Emeraldwing/Thecrazymarshmellowlover out! :3**


	2. Chapter 2

FreshFlight bounced over to her Teacher, who was eating what was left of a few scraps of lemur. "FallingHail!" She called, picking up her pace. "Flashclaw wants us to go hunting!" The white tom rose to his paws, the sun hitting him at such an angle that he looked majestic in the late-noon light.

"Alright, FreshFlight, I'll be right there." The tabby Learner gazed in awe at FallingHail. His sparkling blue eyes, sweeping long tail, and handsome form astounded her. She shook her head. She COULDN'T be in love with her Teacher. Maybe it was just a…. A crush.

As they thudded against the rainforest floor, she caught FallingHail looking at her with such fondness she thought…. _No, he must just be worried, and checking to see if I'm hurt. I'm imagining things._ But again, as she was tracking down a monkey, she caught him staring at her again.

He quickly turned his head away, his face becoming serious. She continued stalking the monkey, creeping along the branches, leaping silently to other trees, all the while sneaking up on the creature like a shadow. The monkey was not aware that it was soon to be prey. It was chewing on a mango.

_I'll have to collect that later._ FreshFlight thought. _SpiritMist says it soothes sore throats and fire ant bites._ She silently dashed into a clump of leaves and hid, watching the monkey's every move.

Then she slid along the smooth golden-brown branches of the mango tree, slinking up behind the furry creature. When she was but a tiger-length away from the monkey, she leapt an enormous leap. She landed perfectly on top of the monkey, sinking her teeth into its neck.

Soon the squealing ceased and the monkey grew still. It was dead. Grabbing it and the unbruised pieces of mango, FreshFlight clambered down the tree trunk, gripping the bark with her claws.

She landed on the soil with a soft _thud_. FallingHail padded over to her proudly. "Well done." He meowed. "You have learned quite a lot. I think it is your time."

FreshFlight shrieked excitedly, and gave a little bounce. And they were off to their home. On the way, the pair caught sight of two lemurs playing catch-as-catch-can on a ginkgo tree, and, mesmerized by this, decided to play as well.

FallingHail would chase FreshFlight up the Coco tree and down, and when he caught her, if he caught her, she would chase him up a different tree. These were the rules. FreshFlight raced up the Coco tree, her eyes wide with enthrallment.

And behind her dashed FallingHail, the wind created by his speed running through his long white fur. When FallingHail finally caught her and pinned her to a Coco tree branch there was a moment of awkward silence.

FallingHail was leaning over her, a silent laugh frozen on his lips. She was panting, worn out from the chase. So she was completely unprepared for what happened next.

"I love you." The words left FallingHail's mouth so softly, lightly, that FreshFlight scarcely heard them. The silence was unbearable. FallingHail stood, frozen in place, a look of fear on his face.

FreshFlight smiled. Then laughed. "I love you too."


	3. Chapter 3

TinyNight awoke to the warmth of a cat pressing against her. She gave a sleepy purr, and stretched in the nest, careful not to knock out her friends, TinyRay and TinySprout.

TinyRay helped her understand the legend of the first drop of sun, and TinyNight listened intently as the story began. TinyRay cleared her throat and started.

"_Long ago, when the tame rainforest we live in now was wild, and over-run with cats, and the Tribe of Falling Sun was not yet formed, peace was rare. Cats were always fighting over the many monkeys and lemurs in the forest, never knowing when the prey might run out. They were too paranoid. _

_When Snow-fall came, the forest was covered in a thick canopy of snow, no sun could reach the soil, and cats began to starve. All the water had frozen, and all the prey finally died out. One day, when the sun was supposed to be its highest in the sky, a young tiger was left at one of the group of cats' territory. _

_When they found it, they hissed, and snarled, afraid that their territory would be taken over. They killed it. A true sign that they were cruel, ruthless cats. They carried its body back to the camp, a large Ginkgo tree, smirking. _

_When the current healer, known as Pure, saw this, she was infuriated. She sacrificed herself to the Sun Spirits, hoping they would forgive the heartless cats who killed the tiger cub. _

_On a day where the sun didn't shine, and was covered by the moon, a golden drop of its rays fell on the frozen soil. The ice began to melt away, burned through by the flaming love from Pure's heart. From the now-soft soil grew a brilliant golden and white striped flower. This was known as the Sunblossom, or The Lily That Fell From The Sun. _

_Not many suns later, a baby tiger found its way to the Ginkgo tree where these cats lived. The leader, Sun, changed by Pure's kindness and love, took in the baby, and raised it as his own. She claimed her name was Tiny, and thus, in honor of the Sunblossom, she was called TinyLily. TinyLily grew and grew, becoming the guardian of these changed cats. _

_On the day when Sun's end was nigh, he called her to his nest. TinyLily, eyes filled with sorrow, arrived at her father's deathbed in just a few steps. Sun purred. 'You have grown so much, young one…' He rasped. _

_'You are ready to lead these cats. You will now be known as SunLily, leader of the Tribe of Falling Sun. May you make wise decisions in your reign.' These were his dying words, and as SunLily bent her head and wept, streaks of gold tears fell down onto Sun's chest, transforming his fur from tangled, and dusty to a pure golden color, lifting his body into the air, and turning him into a golden flower, which SunLily wore tucked behind her ear for the rest of her life._"

"Now," TinyRay added at the end. "After four hundred seasons have gone by, the leader, now currently SunFrost, will travel to SunPoint, a tall rock with an ice-cold pool at the top, and receive the next drop of sun.

After receiving the droplet, they must slip it into the pool, and wait all night and day for three suns until the flower blossoms. This is the sign of the next Tiger to come to the Tribe of Falling Sun, and lead us when SunFrost is gone. Looks like you're the one!" She mewed cheerfully.

TinyNight gaped. How could she be so…. Optimistic? This was horrible! Soon all these cats would look to her for guidance. She was terrible at leading! She would rather FlashClaw be leader.

The tiger cub hopped out of the nest and loped towards the prey heap. On her way, Flashclaw shoved her aside. "Hey, watch where you're going!" He snarled at her, and stalked away, fur bristling.

"Pay no attention to FlashClaw," the black tom she had seen the other day mewed kindly. "He's just upset that you'll be taking over and not him." Dipping her head, TinyNight continued on her way to the pile, and took a speckled egg in her teeth.

TinyBubble bounced up to her and grinned. "You gonna eat that all by yourself or do you wanna share?" She smiled up at him, her eyes glowing. "No, I think I'll share. But who with?" She teased.

"Well… I think I know a handsome silver tom sitting somewhere around here called…. Me!" The pair laughed, and settled down in the center of the enormous tree to eat.


	4. Chapter 4

**Heeeeyyyllo. TheCrazyMarshmellowlover/Emeraldwing here! So thank you every person who****'s reviewed so far, it means a lot! Now, let's get started, shall we?**

FreshFlight awoke in her mossy nest, and sighed. She would never forget the other day. It had been perfect, ending in a glamorous sunset filled with brilliant yellows, pinks, and reds. FreshFlight closed her eyes, remembering the last few events.

_FreshFlight and FallingHail were perched on a branch sticking out of a very tall tree, gazing out at the sky, which was blanketed with the colour of dragonfruit, and glistening with few stars. There was a very bright one, shining golden and sapphire blue, right above their heads. _

_"That's the star that represents love." FallingHail had told her, entwining his tail with hers. "It's beautiful…" FreshFlight was stunned by the beauty of the star. "Not as beautiful as you. Say, have you ever heard the tale of that very star?" The white tom had said, edging closer to the tabby she-cat. _

_FreshFlight had shaken her head no. Her mother had not told her the story. "Well," FallingHail began. "It all started with a cat called Dragon. She was a beautiful cat, almost as beautiful as you. Her pelt was colored with the juices of the sunset, golden and red. Her eyes were as blue as the sea, her fur silky and long. Dragon was a quiet she-cat, and kept to her own business. _

_But one day, as she was out hunting with the cat she loved, Panther, a large male tiger leapt out of the brush, and attacked them. It pinned Panther down, and as it was about to deliver the death blow, Dragon leapt in the way, her soul wrapping itself around Panther and protecting him from harm. _

_She gave up her own life for Panther, that's how much she loved him. Love is very powerful. More powerful than any fighter. Dragon was given a second chance in life, but a very different life that we live down here, for her good deed. She would forever walk the skies, spreading love out to the earth on which we live. _

_Interesting, right?" FreshFlight had listened in awe to the story, hanging onto every word he said, every breath he took. "Yes. Do-do you love me as much as Dragon loved Panther? Would you die for me?" FreshFlight asked, embarrassed at having finally said it out loud. _

_Instead of answering, FallingHail first knelt before FreshFlight, his head bent. "I will protect you no matter what, destroy anything for you, I will never let you die." He looked up, his blue eyes bright. FreshFlight purred. "And I would do the same for you." She mewed. _

_FallingHail pulled her close, and together they watched the sunset darken into a dark indigo sky. "FreshFlight," FallingHail had asked. "When… When you become a warrior… Will you be my mate?" FreshFlight smiled. "Yes." She whispered. "Definitely yes." _

As FreshFlight relaxedin her nest, she heard the sound of heavy pawsteps approaching, and glanced up. It was PetalFloat, her eyes wide with worry, and was that… _sympathy?_

"I'm sorry…" PetalFloat said breathlessly. "It's FallingHail… We tried to stop him… He's gone to the Death Cliff to fight the dark beast… I'm sorry!" The golden she-cat burst into tears. _No. FallingHail… Of all times, why would you do this now?_ FreshFlight leapt out of the nest, claws unsheathed. "I have to find him!" She announced, and ran towards the lowest branch on the ginkgo tree. _You're not doing this alone. I'm helping you._


End file.
